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By Scott BairASSOCIATED PRESS • Friday July 5, 2013 5:09 AM

SAN DIEGO — Landon Donovan is the biggest name in American soccer, but U.S. national team coach
Jurgen Klinsmann has little respect for that distinction.

Donovan, the all-time U.S. leader in goals and assists, lost his standing on the national team
thanks to a 144-day sabbatical in which he completely stepped away from the game. He returned to
Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy on March 30, but Klinsmann didn’t include him on the
roster for World Cup qualifiers in June.

Klinsmann relented, somewhat, by putting Donovan on the roster for the less-prestigious Gold
Cup, a campaign preceded by tonight’s exhibition against Guatemala in San Diego.

Donovan stands out on a roster largely devoid of big names, with few locks for the roster.
Although Donovan would seem to be an exception, Klinsmann doesn’t see it that way.

“I come from a different background, and in soccer it’s normal to have to work your way back
into the mix,” said Klinsmann, a former German national team player and coach. “When someone takes
time off or has an injury, we evaluate that case from zero. We respect the past accomplishments,
but that doesn’t help you tomorrow, doesn’t help you today.”

Donovan hasn’t taken offense, and he’s excited about the challenge of reclaiming his place as
the focal point of the American attack.

“Jurgen has created an environment where you are really competing consistently to be a part of
this team,” Donovan said. “I am very much on the outside looking in. I’ve got to make my way back
in, and I’m looking forward to it.”